Proposal
by Marj
Summary: A five-minute scene in a chick flick left impressions on Hungary that baffles Austria.


_Author's Notes:_  
Something lighthearted this time around.  
Unless you're unaware of the signatories in the Austro-Hungarian Compromise, there's no history lesson to be learned here!  
Inspired by a certain chapter in David Edding's "The Mallorean" series of books.

_Disclaimers:  
_Hetalia does not belong to me.

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**Proposal**

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It was the latest most popular movie among women. The story of a man and a woman meeting under a particular circumstance; their lives suddenly being swept into a whirlwind of events leading up to a blossoming romance. Trouble then dared to step into this most precious of relationships, but it eventually led to a quick reconciliation, a sudden proposal, and finally to marriage and a happily ever after.

Typical chick flick.

Hungary absolutely loved it. Austria, not so much, but he acquiesced if only because he knew how much she had looked forward to seeing it. Men never usually had their way when it came to which movies to watch anyway.

That didn't mean he couldn't be a cynic though.

He especially couldn't understand why Hungary was gushing over the proposal scene, which all but took about 5 minutes in a movie that had been an hour and a half long.

Hungary had her hands clasped together and brought up to her face, her eyes sparkling as she recalled the event. "That had been so romantic, don't you think? The way he planned it so that he could pop the question on the pier at sunset…"

"He hadn't planned it – they had to chase after the nephew from across the road to stop him from accidentally jumping off and killing himself."

"…and then those beautiful, colorful blossoming flowers in the bouquet which he suddenly whipped out from behind his back…"

"Paper flowers. All three of them. Grabbed from the little girl playing nearby, who probably ended up crying, the poor thing."

"… along with the glittering ring which he placed upon her finger…"

"It was a lollipop."

Hungary glared at him. "_What_ is your _problem_? Couldn't you just appreciate a romantic scene as it is?"

"But Hungary, though I'm sure the thought counted, that had hardly been as romantic as you were portraying it to be!" Austria defended himself.

"Not all proposals have to be done with a romantic dinner, a dozen expensive flowers, and a huge diamond ring, you know!"

"I know, but I just thought you would be more focused on the other aspects of the movie that were actually just a trifle bit more romantic than that."

Oh, yes, Austria's sensitive ears were still ringing from the inhuman _squeals_ of the other viewers in the mostly women-filled theater in scenes _other_ than that horrid proposal. Surely there had to be a reason _why_.

Hungary pouted. "But I _loved_ that scene," she muttered, her voice quite obviously laced with disappointment, along with something else Austria could not quite place. Desire? Longing?

He paused from walking and looked at her closely, causing a slight human traffic behind him as he and Hungary blocked a portion of the sidewalk on a busy Sopron street. "I feel like I'm missing something here," he said. "Would you care to tell  
me?"

Hungary looked away, but not before Austria was able to catch a tinge of pink on her cheeks. "I never got a proposal before," she whispered.

"…what?"

"I never got a proposal before!" Hungary said loudly as she gave him an annoyed glance, her face now completely red due to her confession.

Austria raised an eyebrow. "Well now, that can't be right. We were married once. Surely I must have proposed to you."

"Austria, a couple of old geezers signed a contract that had led to our marriage. Neither you nor me ever had a say in it."

"Franz Joseph was 37 and Ferenc was 64 – that couldn't have been that bad."

Hungary gave him a withering look.

Austria raised his hands up. "Fine, fine. But that contract had still been a form of proposal, was it not? Just as like that in the movie, which wasn't the typical proposal you've described earlier, either."

His ex-wife/current girlfriend sniffed. "You obviously still don't know a thing about women," she replied icily.

"Maybe. That was also how I got married to Spain, and you don't see him complaining about it today. That's just how it has always been done."

Hungary turned her head away from him with a "hmph".

Roderich sighed. _The things I do for this woman…_

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Hungary felt Austria leave her side, and for a moment she was a little bit ashamed of herself. It wasn't his fault their marriage had been arranged that way, after all. They were nations – there wasn't really much they could do about such alliances except to go along with the whims of their leaders.

_He could have been just a little bit more understanding, though,_ she frowned, quite frustrated with Austria's rather practical and firmly grounded mind. For someone who was so musically talented, one would have thought he'd be a bit more of a romantic.

Eventually wondering where her date had gone, Hungary looked up and down the sidewalk. She spotted him walking out of a flower shop just a few paces away, and instantly knew what he planned to do.

It really couldn't have been more obvious.

_Still, good lord, how could someone be so stiff and unimaginative, and yet be so sweet at the same time? _

Austria stopped in front of her, it now being his turn to blush. He knelt on one knee, held the bouquet he had just recently bought towards her, and asked, "Erzsébet Héderváry, would you accept this humble human kneeling before you to be your husband?"

Hungary just couldn't help herself. She giggled.

Along with half a dozen or so people around them who suddenly found themselves witness to one of the most impromptu marriage proposals they've ever seen.

Austria frowned and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Is there something funny?"

"Oh, my," Hungary grinned, her voice tingling with unsuppressed mirth. "That was quite sudden, don't you think?"

"_This_ is sudden? I know I don't have a ring with me, but at least _I_ had the decency to look for real flowers! It certainly bears a lot more dignity than paper and candy!"

"I know, I know," she chuckled. Hungary then squatted so that they're nearly at eye-level with each other. "But… no, I can't."

She almost laughed out loud again when his jaw dropped and his shoulders drooped, all at the same time. Hungary reached out and held his head in her arms, the fingers on one of her hands tangling around the strands of his soft, wavy hair. "Dearest, you _know_ the reason why."

"Funny, then, because I don't seem to recall asking _Hungary_ if she would marry me," he said in a soft voice so that only the two of them could hear.

Hungary suddenly pulled back and stared at him.

He _didn't_, did he? He had asked _Erzsébet Héderváry_ – not _Hungary_ – if she would marry _this human_…

"Of course, I would probably be near penniless, living off the meager earnings of an orchestra musician," Roderich commented, scowling. "It's a shame people don't appreciate such beautiful music nowadays…"

"Oh _please_, you'll survive. You're definitely at the top tier of the orchestra, at least," Hungary scoffed. Really, that man and his music, completely inseparable no matter what the circumstances were! Still…

Erzsébet cupped his face with her hands and kissed his forehead. "And _yes_. I _would_ accept _Roderich Edelstein_ to be my husband, penniless or not."

They both smiled.

Later on, Erzsébet realized that she had not really been given a marriage proposal, but more of a question. A theoretical one, at that.

But she never cared about the details before, so why start now?  
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End file.
